1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to industrial coatings for protecting a metal element in a corrosive environment, and particularly to a laminated coating used to protect valves, conduit, manufacturing equipment, and other elements that may be exposed to a highly corrosive and erosive environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an industrial application involving a highly corrosive and erosive environment, equipment wears quickly and must be replaced. Replacement involves the cost of the part as well as lost production time. U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,832, issued to Berchem, teaches a ball cock for fluids carrying abrasive materials. Passages are formed of an engineering material such as silicon carbide, silicon nitride, tungsten carbide and titanium carbide, which are referred to therein as ceramics. It has also been known to apply a layer of tantalum on a metal substrate and then apply a ceramic coating onto the tantalum. Although a ceramic coating may prove beneficial in an erosive environment, such coatings have not proven entirely satisfactory in an environment that is both erosive and corrosive.